ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 21 -- United States Patent no. 12,765,971, issued on Oct. 20, was assigned to Solventum Intellectual Properties Co. (Eagan, Minn.).
"Self-ligating orthodontic bracket" was invented by Ming-Lai Lai (Afton, Minn.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The present disclosure provides high strength, self-ligating appliances with orthodontically desirable dimensions. The appliances of the present disclosure incorporate a door slidably engaged to a channel in the body; one that can be opened or closed depending on the equilibrium position of an integral protrusion on the door. Cooperating grooves and rails on the body and the door can guide the door between the open and closed positio...